Made it.

Part 1: Welcome home
Last Saturday, on the 17th, I said goodbye to my host family, and moved into my own apartment. It really wasn't "goodbye", since they just live down the road from me, and I walk by them every time I go to school. My host Mom drove me over to my new place, helped me get my bags into the apartment, chatted for a bit, then I was on my own. I was quite content. For the first time in my life, I am living on my own. No roommates and no parents or siblings, I could walk around naked if I wanted (if only the mosquitoes weren't so bad). I spent the rest of the day unpacking my belongings, moving stuff around until I was comfortable, and scrubbing the kitchen and the floors.
Patty and I went to town to do our first grocery shopping trip. Food here is extremely expensive (at least on a Peace Corps budget) and I very quickly went over the $250 mark, when I was expecting to spend less than $200. When I got home and put the groceries away, you could hardly tell I went shopping.
I am very happy with my apartment. I would say that it's in a quiet location, but the wind and the surf are very loud (I'm not bragging, Patty). As I sit here right now I can hear the ocean and wind roaring on the coast. My backyard goes right up to a cliff by the sea. There is a fence and several trees separating the yard from the ocean, so I won't fall in. The view is absolutely beautiful. On the right side I can see part of Black Rocks, and on the left side I can see the cliffs by Saddlers, and in the distance I can see other islands. I would not, and could not have asked for a more beautiful location. It is not the Peace Corps experience I was expecting, but I am loving it.
Some pictures of my apartment.
Hallway. On the left is my bedroom. On the right at the end is the closet and spared bedroom, then on the end is the bathroom.

The kitchen is very large. I have no need for so much space.

Yes, the living room/dining room is messy here. It's not always that way. really.

My bedroom is usually kept clean as well.

The view from my back yard

Part 2: NOW I've arrived.
I remember when we first arrived in St. Lucia a fellow member of EC80 said that they wouln't say they've arrived until they are sworn in. I liked that thinking because it's true. The real work doesn't begin until now. Last Monday October 19th, EC80 (St. Kitts) was officially sworn in. We met at Manhattan Gardens restaurant for the ceremony. Most of our host families attended, as well as the Governor General and Deputy Prime Minister. You can see what happened based on the pictures of the bulletin.


After all the speeches were made, we were offically sworn in. All volunteers take the same oath that all Government officials take, all the way up to the Vice President I believe. One we said it, we were officially sworn in. We received a certificate marking our completion of service, as well as a nice Peace Corps patch and Eastern Caribbean Pin.

Taking the oath



Holding my certificate. Maggie is jealous even though hers is exactly the same.

Once we were sworn in, we had one last task: To sing three Kittitian songs which our cross cultural trainer, Pencheon, taught us. Saira, Pencheon, and I played the guitar while everyone else sang. Everyone did a nice job.


Officially Peace Corps volunteers. EC80 of St. Kitts and Nevis

After the ceremony Saira, Julie Ann, Kelsey, Alisa, our friend Laurent, and myself drove into town to celebrate by getting some ice cream. We met up with a few others there, some dispersed, and some of us ended up at the Ferry to grab a beer with Kim, Geoff, and Chris.

Part 3: DON'T SEND NICE STUFF!
Many of you know that I like photography a lot, and that I have a fair amount of photography equipment. Unfortunately it was too heavy and bulky to bring with me on the airplane, so my parents had it shipped down to me a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, because it is Technological equipment, St. Kitts customs decided to hold it hostage. Peace Corps has a deal with the Government here that volunteers can receive packages without taxes for three months after they arrive. This is true, however it is not easy to do with camera equipment.
My first step was to get a permissions letter from someone in the ministry of finance saying I could receive the package duty free. Michelle (our PCMO) was kind of enough to drive me to the airport to pick up the package. Unfortunately it wasn't there. They recently changed it so packages are picked up at the customs and excise office in Bird Rock (too far to walk). Michelle drove me there, and I took my invoice and official letter in. I was then told that I couldn't get it yet, because I needed to have some sort of broker papers documenting what I was receiving, and they were to be filled out and stamped by a broker (which costs $25 EC to do). After finally getting the papers, we had to take them back to the ministry offices to be signed and stamped again. A couple hours later they were all completed, and we headed back to the Customs office. Of course they wouldn't let me have it so easy, and sent me next door to another office for some more stamps of approval. After finally getting all the stamps and signatures I needed, I took the papers in to get the package, and was told I now had to wait. About 25 minutes later they told us that it was taking so long because they normally require a 24 hour wait period for the paper work to be processed (now they tell us). After about 45 minutes to an hour, they tell me I can get the package after I paid $850 (plus $100 for the swine flu vaccines that Michelle picked up the day before, since I was helping her turn in her paper work) in fees. After explaining to them that our letter from the ministry clearly excused us from any taxes, they let us know that the letter only excused me from two of the three taxes. That $850 EC was only 1/3 of the taxes I would have had to pay! It would have probably been cheaper to buy a plane ticket to the U.S., pick up the camera, then fly back. Apparently whomever wrote the letter accidentally forgot to write off all three taxes, so we called her, and she eventually faxed over a new letter. Four hours after I expected to get the package, I finally got.
The moral of the story is that if you want to send me something really nice, please be sure to ask me first. It's not easy to receive packages of technology here.

There is more to tell, such as the trip to Caribelle Batik, and a Hash House Harriers event. But I'm too tired now, and I will update again later this week.